Gauze-carrier.



No. 636.637. Patented Nov. 7, |899.

C. T. COOKE.

GAUZE CARRIER.

(Application led Apr. 27, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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CLINTON TYNG COOKE, OF HUTOHINSON, MINNESOTA.

GAUZE-CARRIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 636,637, dated November7, 1899. Application tiled April 27. 1899. Serial No. 714,763. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, CLINTON TYNG COOKE, of Hutchinson, in the county ofMcLeod and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and ImprovedGauze-Carrier, ot' which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

The object of my invention is to provide an instrument especiallydesigned for introducing gauze or othersuitable material into cavitiesor orifices of the human body for the purpose of drawing away fluidscontained therein by means of capillary action or for arrestinghemorrhages.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the instrument thatit will rapidly, firmly, and in many cases painlessly pack gauze intocavities, Wounds, iistulas, or other orifices and in such manner thatthe gauze will not come in contact with the superlcial portions or wallsof the cavity until it reaches the desired point, and thus the gauze isintroduced aseptically.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of theseveral parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed outin the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section through the improvedinstrument. Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the lower portion of the inner orretarding tube of the instrument, and Fig. f1 is a bottom plan view ofthe plunger or packer.

The various parts of the instrument may be made of any materialadaptable to the purpose. The body A of the instrument consists of atube of any desired length and diameter, and usually at the upperportion of said tube a sleeve 10 is securely fastened, and the upperportion of the sleeve is exteriorly threaded to receive theinteriOrly-threaded portion of a cap 11, which cap is provided with acentral opening- 12, through which gauze 13 is introduced into thebody-tube A. Aretardingtube B is loosely placed within the body-tube A,and the said retarding-tube is adapted to prevent the gauze 13 fromWorking out at the cap end of the instrument. The retardingtube B isprovided with a flange 14 at its upper end, which flange when theretardingtube is introduced within the body-tube rests upon the upperend of said body-tube and its sleeve 10, as shown in Fig. 1, and the cap11 f serves to hold the retarding-tube in position.

The lower end of the Areiarding-tube is provided with two or more,usually three, inwardly curved or inclined spurs 15, which spurs permitthe gauze to be forced out at the lower end of the retarding-tube B, butprevent the return of the gauze when a plunger or packer O, used inconnection with the instrument, is drawn outward or away from thedelivery end of the body-tube. The retarding-tube'B is not quite as longas the bodytube A, terminating, preferably, a short distance from thedelivery end of the bod y-tube, as is indicated in Fig. 1.

The plunger or packer O consists of a rod 16, at one end of which a disk17 is secured, provided With a handle 18, while at its opposite end thesaid rod is provided with two or more, preferably three, outwardly daredor inclined spurs 19. (Shown in Figs. 1 and 4.) Handles 20 are securedto the sleeve 10 at oppositesides, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Thesehandles are preferably 'in the form of rings, so that the thumb andforenger of one hand may be passed within the handles while the plungeror packer is operated by the other hand, and the handle 18 of theplunger or packer is likewise preferably in the form of a ring, asillustrated.

In operation the gauze may be placed in the retarding-tube while saidtube is free from the body-tube, and when the retardingtube isintroduced into the body-tube it is secured in place by the cap 11. Thebody-tube is introduced into the oriiice, cavity, or wound, and thegauze is forced out at the delivery end of the instrument on thedownward movement of the plunger or packer C and directly through theinstrumentality of the claws or spurs 19 at the inner end of the plungeror packer. After the plunger or packer has been carried into thebody-tube as far as desired, or until the disk 17 engages with the capof the body, the plunger or packer is drawn outward, and at that timethe spurs of the retarding-tube act to hold the gauze stationary Whilethe claws on the plunger or IOO packer are being brought to a positionto again force the gauze from out of the instrument. It will be observedthat gauze of any length may be used in connection with this instrument.

All parts of this instrument can be thoroughly sterilized, and when theinstrument is made of German silver it may be made more or less flexibleand can be bent to the curvature of tortuous wounds. By the aid of theimproved instrument the uterine cavity can be more quickly, firmly,painlessly, and aseptically packed .With gauze than by any other methodnow in use, and by its aid the nasal cavities can be quickly and firmlypacked to check or prevent hemorrhages or to take up secretions.Furthermore, by the aid of this instrument long, deep, or narrow wounds,punctured Wounds, or gun shot Wounds can be properly drained andrepacking of any deep surgical or other wounds is rendered less painfulthan heretofore. In fact, by the aid of the improved instrument anycavity can be completely filled or even distended and only one strip ofgauze need be used, thus obviating the danger of leaving in the Woundany short piece of gauze, greatly facilitating the removal of the gauze,and, moreover, doing away with the necessity of the repeatedintroduction of the dressing-forceps or other instruments now used forthe purpose. Finally, the instrument gives the operator or dresser theassurance that the gauze Will remain in the position wanted and will notbe Withdrawn with the instrument.

It is preferable in many cases to use only one hand to operate theinstrument, leaving the other hand free, and in such cases the thumb ofthe operator moves the plunger, and the index and ringfingers hold theinstrument by means of the rings 2O in the body-tube. It is not at allnecessary to remove the retarding-tube B in the use of the instrument.Such removal of said tube and removal and replacement of the cap 1l arerequired only when the instrument is to be cleaned after use or forpermitting backward movement of the gauze. Preferably in operation Whilethe retarding-tube is in its proper place the gauze is introduced intoit, and the body-tube is then introduced into the cavity,wound, orifice,&c.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and de'sire to secureby Letters Patentl. In an instrument for applying gauze or the like, thecombination with the body, of a retarding-tube detachably fitted in saidbody, said retarding-tube being provided with inwardly-turned spurs forpermitting the outward movement of the material and preventing thereturn movement thereof, and a plunger or packer adapted to bereciprocated Within said retarding-tube and having outwardlyfiaredspurs, as set forth.

2. An instrument for applying gauze or the like, consisting of abody-tube, an inner tube provided with spurs at its delivery end whichare adapted to prevent the return movement of the material through saidinner tube, and a plunger or packer in the form of a rod tted to slidein said inner tube and formed with outwardly-flared spurs at its Workingend, as set forth.

3. The combination with a body-tube of a rctarding-tube therein andprovidedwith inwardly directed spurs, and a plunger or packer fitted toslide in said tube and provided \vith outwardly-flared spurs,assetforth.

4. In an instrument of the character described, the combination, with abody-tube, a reiarding-tube located Within the bodytube and removabletherefrom, the retardingtube being provided with a iange at one endadapted to bear against an end of the bodytube, and with inwardly-curvedspurs at its opposite end, and a cap fitted to the body and adapted forengagement with the flange on the retarding-tube, the said cap beingprovided with an opening therein, of a plunger or packer consisting of arod adapted to be passed into and through the retarding-tnbe, a handleat one end of the rod and outwardlycurved spurs at the opposite end ofthe rod, for the purpose specified.

CLINTON TYNG COOKE.

Witnesses:

CARLoo AvEnY, M. S. GooDNoW.

